SeaWorld plans to take legal action against the California Coastal Commission after last week's vote saying it could only expand killer whale tanks if it ends breeding.

SeaWorld made the announcement Thursday evening.

George Soneff, Jack S. Yeh and Michael Berger of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP have been retained to represent SeaWorld.

"As a regulatory board charged with managing coastal development and related land-use decisions, the Coastal Commission went way beyond its jurisdiction and authority when it banned breeding by killer whales at SeaWorld," Chief Executive Officer Joel Manby said in a press release.

"By imposing broad new jurisdiction over all future SeaWorld marine animal projects, as well as aquarium projects elsewhere in the state, the Commission has overstepped both federal and California law. It simply defies common sense that a straightforward land-use permit approval would turn into a ban on animal husbandry practices – an area in which the Commissioners have no education, training or expertise. To say that this is a dubious decision with no legal basis is an understatement, which is why we must and will challenge the Commission's decision."